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ST 2848

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2848

A full review by crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty **/***Enjoyment ****

This puzzle was published on Sunday, 15th May 2016

Another perfectly splendid Sunday crossword –   I had *s by lots of clues I really liked, including the one someone else didn’t!!

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.

1a           Refinement of manners and language (6)
POLISH –   Culture and refinement of manners or the language spoken in Poland.

4a           Round the bend in a river, a collection of warships (6)
ARMADA   – MAD (round the bend) goes in between A (from the clue) R (river) and A (from the clue)

8a           Informative programme giving directions to players (8)
NEWSCAST   –  N E W S (compass directions) CAST (players)

10a         Stuff Mad Hatter had crazily taken out (6)
MATTER –  Remove HAD from mAD Hatter, the ‘crazily’ telling you that they aren’t in that order.

11a         Market   forecast that’s good or moderate,  just (4)
FAIR –   Lovely four definition clue.

12a         Dreadful ennui in stupid party gradually fading away (10)
DIMINUENDO  –   An anagram (dreadful)of ENNUI goes between DIM (stupid) and DO (party)

13a         Recovering from cold after drinks in sisters’ house (12)
CONVALESCENT –   C (cold) goes after ALES (drinks) and the result inserted into CONVENT (sisters’ house)

16a         Company assembled outside club, with sailor in war gear (6,6)
COMBAT JACKET –   CO (company)  and MET (assembled), the latter going outside BAT (club) and JACK (sailor)

20a         50 per cent of group at riot is milking state support (10)
PATRIOTISM –   Lurking away in 50%  of the letters of grouP AT RIOT IS Milking

21a         Pope, say, oddly protests (4)
POET –   Alexander Pope is an example, say, of a  poet, the latter word being found   in the odd letters of PrOtEsTs.

22a         Plane up in the air? Keep quiet about it (6)
SMOOTH –   SH (keep quiet) goes about MOOT (up in the air, debatable)  

23a         Denied providing financial support in addition to profits (8)
GAINSAID –   In addition to GAINS (profits) you need AID (financial support)

24a         Setter, perhaps, admitting offence, acting to address complaint (6)
DOSING –   Addressing a medical complaint –   DOG (setter perhaps) admitting SIN (offence)

25a         Political group including left, up to a point (6)
PARTLY –   L (left) included in a political PARTY.

Down

1d           Portrayed, in a way, with no end of artistry, one animal after another? (8)
PREDATOR –   An anagram (in a way) of PORTRAyED with ‘no end of’ artistrY

2d           Powerful cutting device initially constructed (5)
LASER  –   Initially constructed because LASER is an acronym –  Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

3d           Examine youth that’s raised reason for outrage (7)
SCANDAL –   SCAN (examine)followed by a reversal (that’s raised) of LAD (youth)

5d           Like Italian, for example, from Cremona, originally (7)
ROMANCE –   A language, like Italian, that developed from popular Latin, is an anagram (originally) of CREMONA

6d           Genuine article secured by relative in charge (9)
AUTHENTIC –   THE (definite article) is secured by, or inserted into, AUNT (relative)  and followed byIC (in charge)

7d           Works to improve bill, say — it happens as PM arrives (6)
AMENDS –   When AM ENDS, PM arrives!!

9d           One of our competitors running holiday home scheme (4-7)
TIME-SHARING  –  TIMES (one of the Telegraph’s competitors) HARING (running)

14d         Showing spite about a king not personally experienced (9)
VICARIOUS –   VICIOUS (showing spite) goes about A (from the clue) and R (Rex, King)

15d         Toughness of points covering fundamental truth (8)
SEVERITY –   The compass points S and E cover or go over VERITY (fundamental truth)

17d         Disturbed hormone making one grouse (7)
MOORHEN –   A female moorfowl (red or black grouse, not the water bird!) is obtained from an anagram (disturbed) of HORMONE.

18d         Preserve a spy organisation set up for island (7)
JAMAICA –   JAM (preserve) followed by a reversal (set up in a Down clue) of A CIA (a spy organisation)

19d         Conflict over what divides Europe and Africa became heated (6)
WARMED –  WAR (conflict) goes over MED (the Mediterranean Sea divides Europe and Africa)

21d         For sake of argument, assume one’s not unemployed? (5)
POSIT –   I (one) is in POST (not unemployed).    

 

S1

 

2 comments on “ST 2848

  1. Thanks CS, I remember the chat about posit but amends amused me when the penny dropped, as always lots to enjoy Sunday would not be the same without Mr Greer’s masterpieces.

  2. Great crossword. I found it difficult and, as often happens, proceeded in fits and starts, but really enjoyed it. Some super clues. 1d was possibly my favourite. ****/***** for me, though I am sure many of you will have found it more straightforward.

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